December 15, 2017
A broadcast ethics watchdog on December 14 released a written opinion which criticizes Tokyo MX for televising a program that unfairly slandered anti-base movements in Okinawa.
The program is a news magazine show entitled “News Joshi” aired on Tokyo MX on January 2, 2017. It was created by a subsidiary of the major cosmetics and health foods company DHC, a Tokyo MX sponsor. A report in the program covered local protests against the U.S. helipad construction in Okinawa’s Takae.
The Broadcast Ethics and Program Improvement Organization (BPO) in its written opinion pointed out that examples of “violent protests” cited in the program were not based on collected materials or evidence. In addition, BPO mentioned other problems with the show such as commentators’ making insulting remarks against protesters in Okinawa. The organization concluded that Tokyo MX seriously violated broadcasting ethics as it aired such a ideologically biased program without due consideration for ethics in advance.
Kawana Mari of a civil group that conducts the campaign urging Tokyo MX to make corrections on and apologize for the January program welcomed the BPO’s acknowledgement of the TV company’s ethics violation. She went on to say that the broadcaster still insists that the program contained no false information. She also said that MX in its comment on BPO’s opinion takes a “so-what” attitude toward the criticism.
Kawana said that Tokyo MX should sincerely accept the BPO’s criticism and become a broadcaster that is free from fake news and hate speech.
Past related articles:
> Korean residents in Japan should return to their homeland: DHC chairman [February 1, 2017]
> MX TV has so-what attitude toward criticism for televising unfounded rumors about protests against US helipads in Takae [January 18, 2017]
> Commercial TV program slanders Okinawans opposing US base construction [January 7, 2017]
The program is a news magazine show entitled “News Joshi” aired on Tokyo MX on January 2, 2017. It was created by a subsidiary of the major cosmetics and health foods company DHC, a Tokyo MX sponsor. A report in the program covered local protests against the U.S. helipad construction in Okinawa’s Takae.
The Broadcast Ethics and Program Improvement Organization (BPO) in its written opinion pointed out that examples of “violent protests” cited in the program were not based on collected materials or evidence. In addition, BPO mentioned other problems with the show such as commentators’ making insulting remarks against protesters in Okinawa. The organization concluded that Tokyo MX seriously violated broadcasting ethics as it aired such a ideologically biased program without due consideration for ethics in advance.
Kawana Mari of a civil group that conducts the campaign urging Tokyo MX to make corrections on and apologize for the January program welcomed the BPO’s acknowledgement of the TV company’s ethics violation. She went on to say that the broadcaster still insists that the program contained no false information. She also said that MX in its comment on BPO’s opinion takes a “so-what” attitude toward the criticism.
Kawana said that Tokyo MX should sincerely accept the BPO’s criticism and become a broadcaster that is free from fake news and hate speech.
Past related articles:
> Korean residents in Japan should return to their homeland: DHC chairman [February 1, 2017]
> MX TV has so-what attitude toward criticism for televising unfounded rumors about protests against US helipads in Takae [January 18, 2017]
> Commercial TV program slanders Okinawans opposing US base construction [January 7, 2017]
